The Union (12 page)

She wouldn't look directly at him. He softened his voice. "What you did tonight, though brave, was also foolhardy in the extreme. Can't you see that you made Waters test me? He wanted to see where my loyalties lay, with the union or you. To choose you would put both of us in danger." He lifted her chin with his fingers. "You know the truth of it, though, don't you, Keely? Where my loyalty is."

"I'm not sorry for what I did."

"No, I knew you wouldn't be, lass. And I don't expect you to be. You're a hardheaded Irishwoman after all."

"And you're not an equally stubborn Irishman?"

"Not as stubborn as you, lass. I'm only half Irish. My pa was a Scot. They're much less temperamental."

She laughed and blinked away her tears.
 

"Now do you still insist on throwing me out?"

She didn't answer, just started crying. He hated it when a woman cried, even though he suspected her tears were those of relief, maybe even happiness. He pulled her into his embrace. "I'm here now, lass. Let me do the fighting." He kissed the top of her head. "And stay away from Gaffney. He's trouble."
 

Dietz didn't speak just for McCullough. Somehow John Dietz had become involved with this woman.

The next day Dietz sat in Waters' office, called in to perform another fool's errand, no doubt. The trouble with Waters seemed to be his love of power and bossing other men around. Dietz didn't like it, but it went with the job. Soon enough Dietz would have the upper hand and Waters would be where he belonged—locked up.
 

Today Waters seemed a bit too jovial and confident for Dietz's tastes. Who'd he put one over on this time?

"How's the shoulder today?" Waters set two shot glasses on his desk and removed the stopper from a decanter of whiskey. Taking on the airs of the rich?
 

"The pain's down to a dull roar." Dietz shifted in his chair to emphasize the point.

Waters laughed. "That so. Whiskey? It ought to take that roar right away." He poured without waiting for an answer.

Dietz was in no mood for doing any verbal dancing with Waters. "You called me in for a reason?"

Waters looked solemn and almost too pained. "I did, my friend."

My friend, hell,
Dietz thought.
Smile pleasantly.
His face ached from the forced effort of the charade.

Waters inhaled like he was about to speak, then paused. For effect? "I wanted to talk to you in private. I heard some disturbing rumors last night."

"That so?" Dietz's heart bounded around in his rib cage like an exuberant puppy, too rash and frolicking to mean any good. Had someone from Butte come to town and warned Waters of Dietz's true identity? Had someone recognized him? If so, would Waters call him in privately? Dietz didn't think so. More likely Waters would opt for a public party. Still, Dietz sat on guard, weighing his options, contemplating lies and escape. "What about?"

"A price on Miss Byrne's head?"

Dietz would have sputtered into his glass if he'd had possession of it yet. "Keely?"

"You're rightfully shocked." Waters shook his head and clucked his tongue. "She's a sweet, well-intentioned lass."

"By whom?"

"Word is that the Clan-na-Gael has a contract on her. Who hired them, we can only surmise."

Arrogant bastard! Clan-na-Gael, the Irish crime gang. Even a rumor that they were involved was worth heeding. McCullough belonged to the Clan-na-Gael and was only considered a lesser evil by those in the know. McCullough would have heard of any rumors, but Dietz was not McCullough. He had to bluff. "I've heard no rumors."

Waters' true nature emerged with the smile that spread across his face, the power hungry, egotistical son of a bitch. "You would if they wanted you to."

"And why wouldn't they?"

"They are now, which, I assume, is why they let the rumor fly. And because you're one of their own, they're giving you an out, McCullough."

Dietz cocked his head. Just what game did Waters play? "How so?"

"I've heard it said that they'd never hit McCullough's wife."

Dietz thumped back in his chair trying hard to keep the astonishment from his face. "You're implying that I marry Miss Byrne. Isn't that what I meant to do by coming here?"

"Very slowly, my friend. Too slowly for their tastes, and those of the men who hired them." Waters cleared his throat. "There's some who are beginning to think that McCullough's got cold feet."

"And if he does?"

Waters shrugged. "Too bad for Miss Byrne, I suppose."

Dietz cursed mentally but tried to mask his outward expression and sound light and easy. "Look, what should she matter to them? What kind of a threat could she be?"

"She's been mucking around in union business."

"You mean like out at the old miner's last night?" Dietz fought hard to effect a scoff and keep the fear and frustration from his voice. "That's innocent, womanish meddling. Petty, insignificant."

"There's some who fear Miss Byrne is turning turncoat like her brother did shortly before his death."

"Mick Byrne?" A new fear burned in Dietz. Had the Clan been responsible for Michael Byrne's death? Was Keely right in thinking that someone was to blame, that Michael had been murdered? And was she merely misguided as to the source?

Waters laughed. "I'd heard the two of you were somewhat estranged shortly before he died. Judging from your shocked expression I guess he didn't tell you how he was suddenly for compromise, what we call giving up the fight and kowtowing to the owners." Waters picked up his whiskey and took a gulp. "Mick had plenty of friends. Guess some feel that his sister could influence them. The last thing the union needs so close to our final victory is to be divided. The owners are powerful, too strong a foe to be easily dismissed or to fight with an army not of one mind. Civil insurrection requires a rather broad base of support." Waters took another drink of whiskey. "Surely you agree?"

"Certainly."

Waters sounded like a military strategist, and what he said made sense from that standpoint. But did he tell the truth about the Clan? If Dietz were really McCullough there might be a way to find out. But Dietz had no direct ties to the Clan. Worse still, the Clan-na-Gael members back East knew McCullough by sight and could recognize Dietz as the fake he was if he started nosing around. Trying to make contact by mail or telegram seemed too damned risky. Waters would intercept anything that went out of Gem and Dietz couldn't risk trying Wallace, not without jeopardizing his ability to mail out reports. Dietz had known that the Clan operated all over the country, but he hadn't heard anything directly about their involvement in Idaho. McCullough had been amazingly tight-lipped about it. Just another reason for Dietz to be looking over his shoulder. What if someone from the local Clan recognized him as an imposter?

Dietz wondered further about Waters. Just how deep was his involvement with the Clan-na-Gael? If he spoke the truth at all, was he a member or merely teaming with them to get something he wanted? Or was he innocently repeating idle gossip? How would he benefit from Dietz marrying Keely?

"Look, McCullough, I've seen your written protestation of love for our fair Miss Byrne. Surely you weren't lying to the lady?"

Dietz tensed. How had Waters seen the letters? Keely wouldn't have shown them to him. Had Waters had Keely's room searched? That gave some validation to his claims. And put Dietz on greater alert. The union knew how McCullough should act. And who was to say that they weren't still keeping Keely under surveillance? "Absolutely not."

"Then marrying her should be no hardship."

"Not at all, not on my own schedule. A man likes to woo a woman in his own time. We've only just met in person. Miss Byrne has her own right to be certain of the match."

Waters laughed. "From what I hear, she doesn't need any convincing. You know, McCullough, it would be convenient for everyone if our schedules for this wedding were compatible."

"What's your stake in this Waters? What do you gain?"

Waters looked surprised. He set his glass down suddenly. "Very perceptive. I have my own reasons. Miss Byrne distracts one of my men."

"You mean Gaffney."

Waters nodded and smiled. "His obsession has become all too obvious lately. I don't need my men distracted. I want peace in the ranks. And," Waters paused, seemingly searching for the right words, "I want Miss Byrne safely away from trouble. All kinds of trouble."

Waters' none too subtle hint about Gaffney and the union slammed Dietz right in the stomach. Waters knew something about Gaffney, something Dietz did not. A warning? Maybe Waters did mean some good, or maybe it all just suited his purposes. The man proved an enigma.

"How soon?" A few more weeks of stalling, that's all Dietz needed.

"This afternoon." Waters sounded uncompromising. The mere conviction of his manner carried an implicit threat.
 

Dietz hated being backed into a corner. But there seemed no escape now. Guilty as he felt over the whole damned situation, he had to marry Keely. He knew no other way to save her.

"She won't be married by anyone other than a preacher. And we need a license."

"I can arrange that. Bring your bride and meet me back here at four."

"Know where I can pick up a ring quick and cheap?" Sometimes a man had to make a decision in an instant. Dietz hoped he'd made the right one.

"Oh, yeah. We've got us an amateur goldsmith and jewelry maker in town. I'll introduce you." Waters poured himself another glass of whiskey and raised it in toast. "To married bliss."
 

Dietz matched him. "To a good time tonight."

Dietz left Waters' office, silently cursing and musing. The whole damned thing could blow up in his face. He'd have to be doubly careful about his cover now. Right after the action McCullough would have to disappear from Gem. Later Dietz would have to send his things and a note of condolence, along with a healthy dose of cash, back to Keely. He'd have to create some honorable end to McCullough, which was better than the man deserved. If all went well, Keely would never discover the truth about Dietz and McCullough. But his noble deception proved poor salve on his bleeding conscience.

He turned his thoughts to the immediate present. For now, other more immediate matters pressed him. What could he say to Keely to convince her of their urgent need to marry this afternoon? Did she have any hint of the danger? What would serve him better, honesty or deception?

Patterson, who was sweeping the boardwalk in front of his store, called out a greeting. "Quite a show you put on last night, my friend."

"Think so?" Dietz barely heard him.

"Nice bit of fireworks, and I'm not speaking of the cabin." Patterson chuckled, then grew suddenly serious as he lowered his voice. "I've been waiting for you. This boardwalk's cleaner than it's ever been. I stay out here much longer and folks are going think I've turned fastidious."

"You are fastidious, Patterson."

"Yeah, but not generally about boardwalks." Patterson looked him straight in the eye and asked bluntly, "You going to marry Miss Byrne?"

"What have you heard?"

"Quite a lot while I was out drinking last night. Rumors about the Clan-na-Gael and Miss Byrne's safety. Rumors that the union wants to run her out, or I should say, a certain faction of the union wants to run her out, the militant fringe."

"So Waters wasn't lying."

Patterson shrugged. "He's a smart man. He could just as easily have started the rumors himself."

"You don't think they're true?" Dietz hoped Patterson had some answers.

"Maybe, maybe not. There's no way of knowing."

"How do we find out?"

"How much time did they give you to get hitched?"

"This afternoon."

"Then we don't find out. You haven't answered my question—you marrying her?"

"I am." Dietz might have amended his statement to say he had no other choice, but he hated sounding weak and out of control. He expected Patterson to censure him, but his fellow agent masked his expression. Patterson was too damned good at hiding his thoughts.

"What is going on between you and Keely?"

Patterson surprised him with the question. "Going on? What do you mean?"

"Don't play games with me, Dietz. I have two eyes. Either you're one fine actor, or you're falling in love with her."

"You've got yourself two blind eyes, Patterson." Dietz shook his head.

"Need I quote the rules to you? Never jeopardize an operation by falling in love on the job. A woman will make you lose your objectivity, especially a woman in the enemy camp."

"I'm not in love with her, but I am going to marry her. I have to."

Patterson shook his head. His fatherly attitude irritated Dietz. "The boss isn't going to like it." He leaned against his broom. "But it may all work out in the end. Just don't say I didn't warn you about messing around with matrimony."

Dietz chose to ignore Patterson's insinuations. "I don't plan on staying married long. How soon do you expect whole scale war to break out?"